Scuttle.



No. 689,044. Patented Dec. l7, l90l. J. FORMES.

SCUTTLE (Application filed Sept. 24, 1901.; (No Model.) 2 Sheets$heet l.

v INVENTOI? Jbim i'armes, BY

A 7TOHNEY8 No. 689,044, Patented Dec. l7, I901. J. FORMES,

SCUTTLE.

(Application filed Sept. 24, 1901.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

IN VE N T OH J07? Farmes.

ATTORNEYS Fries.

JOHN FORMES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SCUTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,044, dated December17, 1901. Application filed September 24, 1901. Serial No. 76.335- (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN FORMES, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York, borough of Manhattan, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Scuttles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to scuttles, and relates particularly to a scuttlewhich can be opened or closed and secured in either of such positions bymeans of a device which is operated from a convenient point by a ropeconnected therewith.

The object of the invention is to provide a scuttle with means forraising or lowering the shutter with increased facility and, further, toafford means for automatically securing the shutter when raised andautomatically locking the same when lowered.

The invention consists of a scuttle com prising a scuttle-frame, ashutter hinged thereto, a rack arranged on the under side of theshutter, a lever pivotally secured to one side of the frame and having aspur-wheel adapted to engage the rack, a ratchet and pawl controllingthe lever, and intermediate means connected with the rope for actuatingthe pawl, so that by pulling the rope in a vertical or oblique directionthe ratchet is either opened or closed, respectively.

The invention consists, further, of certain novel features ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described,and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of thescuttle, showing the means for raising the shutter. Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical section of the scuttle with the shutter in closedposition, showing the means for locking the same. Fig. 3 is asimilarview showing the shutter as it is rising; and Fig. 4 is atransverse vertical sectional view on line 2 2, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the scuttle-frame, to which ishinged at one side the shutter A. Arranged on the under side of theshutter, adjacent and parallel to one of the side edges, is the rackwaya, and along the front edge is provided a latching means adapted toengage the locking-cleat a on the inner side of the front of the frameA. The latch is composed of two hanging hooks a connected by a bar a andpivoted in hangers 00, secured to the under side of the shutter.

Pivotally mounted on the side of the frame A, in line with the rackway aand a suitable distance from the back, is the lever L, which is providedat its free end with the spur- Wheel S and the projection l, the formerof which being adapted to engage the rack a when the shutter is in araised position, and the latter, cooperating with the latching means,moves the hooks a outwardly to engage with the locking-cleat a. Theopposite end of the lever L has formed integrally therewith the ratchetR, and mounted on the same pivotal center with the lever is the straightlever L, which connects with the pawl P, carried on a suitable hangersecured to the side of the frame and provided with the depending fingerp for the purpose of limiting the upward action of the pawl.

In order to operate the lever L, and thereby raise the shutter, the ropeO is connected with the lever adjacent its free end and passes aroundthe pulleyprovided on the hinged side of the frame, then downwardly to aconvenient point where it can be manipulated. An intermediate rope orchain 0 connects the main rope with the straight lever L, which actuatesthe pawl, throwing the same in or out of engagement with the ratchet R,according to the character of the pull exerted upon the rope at the gripG.

In accordance with the above description the operation of opening andclosing the scuttle is as follows: A direct vertical pull is exertedupon the rope, which causes simultaneously the pawl to disengage fromthe ratchet by means of the intermediate rope and straight lever and thelever to rise, bringing the spur-wheel into engagement with the rackwayand at the same time the disengaging of the latch-hooks from thelockingcleat. When the lever is slightly raised,

the projection at its end is moved out of contact with the latch-hooks,which latter swing back to the line of gravity, a position in which theyare free from the locking-clear], so that the shutter can be raised. Bycontinuing the direct pulling upon the rope the lever is raised, thespur-wheel moving in the rackway until the shutter is opened to itslimit, whereupon the rope is pulled obliquely, as shown by dotted linesin Fig. 3, to relieve the pull upon the intermediate rope, permittingthe pawl to drop into engagement with the ratchet, thereby securing thelever into its raised position. \Vhen it is desired to close thescuttle, a direct vertical pull is exerted upon the rope, which throwsthe pawl out from the ratchet, so as to permit the shutter to lower.After the shutter is seated upon the scuttle-frame and the spur-Wheelmoves out of engagement with the rackway,

the lever drops of its own weight, causingthe projection on its end tomove the latch-hooks under the locking-cleat on the frame, therebylocking the scuttle automatically.

The advantages of the invention are its simplicity, utility, andcheapness of manufacture. It is operated so that the unlocking, closing,or locking of the scuttle can be accomplished without the necessity ofascending to the roof of the building by merely pulling anoperating-rope arranged to be ac cessible at a convenient point. Thusthe invention obviates the danger and inconvenience of raising, proppingopen, closing, or locking the scuttle in the manner hitherto necessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto'secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A scuttle, consisting of a scuttle-frame, a shutter hinged to oneside thereof, a rackway secured to the under side of said shutteradjacent one edge thereof, a lever pivotally mounted on one side of saidframe and in line with said rackway, a spur-wheel provided in the freeend of said lever adapted to move in said rackway, a ratchet formed atthe opposite end of said lever, a pawl for engaging said ratchet, meansfor-raising said pawl, and means for operating said pawlraising meansand said lever, substantially as set forth.

2. A scuttle, consisting of a scuttle-frame, a shutter hinged to oneside thereof, a rackway secured to the under side of said shutteradjacent one edge thereof, a lever pivotally mounted on one side of saidframe and in line with said rackway, a spur-wheel provided in the freeend of said lever adapted to move in said rackway, a ratchet formedatthe opposite end of said lever, a pawl for engaging the same, astraightlever mounted concentrically with said lever, and connected withsaid pawl, an operating-rope connected with the outer end of said leverand passing over a pulley suitably provided on the back of saidscuttle-frame and an intermediate rope connecting said operating-ropeand said straight lever, substantially as set forth.

3. A scuttle, consisting of a scuttle-frame, a shutter hinged to oneside thereof, a lever for raising or lowering the same, means forsecuring said lever in raised position, a projection provided at thefree end of said 1e ver, latch-hooks secured to said shutter adjacentits front edge, and a locking-cleat arranged on the inner face of thefront of the scuttle-frame adapted to engage said latchhooks,substantially as set forth. 7

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN FORMES.

Witnesses PAUL GoEPEL, GEORGE GABEL.

